“Dead Peasant” Insurance Policies

Abstract

It is common practice in America for companies to take out corporate-owned life insurance policies on their leaders and senior management, so that the company can offset the cost of replacing them if they die. However, some companies have begun to extend this practice to their low-level employees, which have become known as “dead peasant” policies. Although profitable for the business, it is often the case that the families of these low-level employees are not aware that this step has been taken and the practice has been outlawed in some states. Is this practice ethical for all employees? Or just top corporate leaders?

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